skip navigation links

Birth to Six > Programs for educators > Raising A Reader

Raising A Reader

Raising A Reader is the library’s largest early literacy effort, reaching 40,000 young children, parents and educators, and sending more than 40,000 books into homes each week. Working with nearly 400 partners, including Head Starts, childcare centers, home health professionals and nonprofits, Raising A Reader provides training, books and activities that encourage parents, teachers and caregivers to read to children. Books and materials are made available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and Vietnamese.

A growing body of research shows that sustained stress has a detrimental impact on a child’s developing brain. At a time when many families are facing stressful situations, the Raising A Reader team is helping families develop and maintain the early reading practices that will help children begin school ready to learn to read.

Raising A Reader is made possible by The Library Foundation with gifts from the Portland Children's Investment Fund, the J.F.R. Foundation, the Schroeder Family Fund of the Marin Community Foundation and Bank of America.

For more information, contact Nell Colburn at 503.988.4482 or Diana Stubee at 503.988.5206.

The Library Foundation

Made possible by The Library Foundation, a local nonprofit dedicated to our library's leadership, innovation and reach through private support.